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3 Tips To Regain Focus: Stop Wasting All Your Time Online

If you’re like me, time just slips away from you when you are online. You think you are just going to spend a few minutes replying to some people and posting a few short status updates and then you will be on your way to other tasks. However, before you know it, it’s been a whole hour or maybe even three.

Does this happen to you too? Taking control of the time you spend on social media sites is important. Although social media can be fun and entertaining, living your real life is also important.

So how do you force yourself to log off of these websites in a timely manner so that you don’t feel as if you have wasted your entire day? Here are a few tips for breaking away from the online life that have worked well for me.

1. Set a time limit.

Before you log on, make sure you know the amount of time you have to tweet, Facebook, or reply to messages. If you have to, set an egg timer for 30 minutes and don’t spend a second longer online. This will allow you some time to communicate and socialize with online friends, but also allow you to control your day and what you are able to accomplish.

2. Turn your computer off and put down your phone when you aren’t using them.

This little trick will help you regain focus on the tasks you need to complete. If you are constantly checking social media sites for updates, nothing will get done. Trust me on this one. Put down the phone. Shut the computer off. You will find yourself full of ideas and feeling much more productive when you do.

3. Don’t log onto social media sites the minute you get home.

The time you want to waste online the most is exactly when you shouldn’t. The reason? Using social media the second you get home and want to unwind seems like a good idea, but really you will end up with hours wasted. Your brain wants to shut down at this time, so it’s so easy to get distracted from things you should be doing. Do something productive first, and then take a break with social media. You will find so much less time wasted.

Social media can be fun and so entertaining. Believe me, you are hearing this straight from a self-proclaimed Twitter addict. However, learning to shut down social media when you need to is important in order to create the real life you want.